You can use T-Mobile's satellite service for free on any carrier now – here's how

If you’re curious about T-Mobile’s new Starlink satellite service, here’s your chance to check it out for free — even if you’re not a T-Mobile customer.

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In an announcement, T-Mobile says any customer on any carrier can sign up for a beta trial of its T-Satellite program, which lets you send and receive text messages without a traditional cellular connection.

How T-Mobile’s satellite texting works

The company said the beta is open to any carrier until July, but it didn’t give a specific date.

Once the service officially launches, it will be part of the company’s Experience Beyond plan. Customers on the Experience More plan will get a free year of service, but for everyone else, including Verizon and AT&T customers, it will be $10 a month for a limited time.

For many people in urban areas, cell connection is never an issue. But as T-Mobile points out, more than 500,000 square miles in America, an area about twice the size of Texas, have zero cell connectivity.

Also: How you can get a free iPhone 16 Pro for free from T-Mobile – and there’s no trade-in required

If you’re in an area without cell service, your phone will automatically connect to T-Satellite. The service uses Direct to Cell technology, which is essentially cell-phone towers in space. If you can see the sky, T-Mobile says you can connect.

During this beta, you can send and receive text messages, but the company advertises that the ability to make calls, use data, upload photos, and more using a satellite connection is on the way.

How to join the T-Mobile T-Satellite beta

If you want to sign up for the beta, head here and scroll to the bottom of the page until you see fields to enter your name, email, and phone number. T-Mobile warns that spots are limited. When I tried to sign up, I saw a message that said, “Due to high demand, we’re admitting beta testers on a rolling basis. Keep an eye out for an update in the coming weeks.”

T-Mobile isn’t the only company to offer satellite texting. Verizon and Xfinity debuted the option recently, and some Pixel phones and some iPhones have an emergency satellite-texting option built in.

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